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| Peering into the dahlia depths |
Every year, long before I feel ready, the beautiful dahlias come into bloom. August brings such lovely blossoms at the end of the season, while beautiful tulips and wild trillium spring from the ground early, to get us primed for the incredible bounty of flowers, vegetables, and lush gardens to come.
The days have grown noticeably shorter, and the sunlight seems a little muted, especially in comparison to a month or two ago. The change seems quite sudden and the summer days bring a feeling in the air of fall not too far away. I smiled at the Pickles cartoon yesterday morning, where the old couple talks about how, when you are young, a year seems like an eternity, but as we grow older, it speeds up. How by the time you are old, a year goes by in a flash, lamenting about how a blink is all it takes for a year to pass by. Oh yes, I can definitely relate. I am feeling my mortality and notice that I no longer spring out of bed, but tentatively feel for the ground, taking my time, before standing up and taking stock of the state of the day's vehicle. Knees working? Yep. Ankles holding up? Yes. A grateful yawn as I make my way to the kitchen to start a cup of tea. Everything still seems to be working well enough, for yet another Sunday, for another week ahead.
I have been watching the Paris Summer Olympics and enjoying very much seeing the athletes compete with one another in their various categories. And noticing how very different these athletes look from one another, depending on their sport. For instance, the long-distance runners are scarecrows, lean and stringy, while the shot putters, for example, are sturdy and muscular, looking almost like a different species. I saw a picture of gymnast Simone Biles (4'8", 105 lbs) next to basketball great Shaquille O'Neal (7'1", 325 lbs) and realized that both are perfect specimens of the human body for their individual sports. And what a difference!
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| Shaq and Simone |
The two of them are at different spectrums of individual variations, with a few more probably between them and what might be possible to determine in our amazing species. The one thing we all have in common is that we are born and come into fruition and then begin to decline as we age. The oldest Olympian in these Olympics is 65:
Juan Antonio Jimenez, a distinguished Spanish equestrian and Olympic medalist, continues to defy age barriers as he competes in the Paris 2024 Olympics, making him the oldest participant. He clinched a silver medal in dressage at the Athens Olympics in 2024.
I guess he's the best at horse whispering, too. But there are no actual athletes in their seventies, those who must compete with all ages. We wear out, and that makes people like me happy to be able to sit and watch, dream of days gone by, and enjoy the feats of the young people of today. And yes, I am thrilled that I can still see well enough to write on my laptop, watch movies and more, and enjoy the fruits of medical advances that allow me to endure those awful eye jabs in hopes of slowing down the progression of geographic atrophy. Amazing time to be alive, I'd say.
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| April flowers |
I took this picture of the tulips in Skagit Valley in April, and now they have all been dug up and the ground is resting, getting ready for another year's blooming after we go through fall and winter and move into next year. It all seems to be happening so fast, but I intend to enjoy every last moment, every dahlia and chrysanthemum, and every day that I am blessed to be present in. What a wonderful life!
And, dear friends, I am so incredibly fortunate to have been born in a time when I can make infinite numbers of acquaintances virtually through the internet. I can write these blog posts and send out an electronic missive to anywhere in the world, and you can open your own device and read it, comment if you want, and here we are, friends embracing our connection. Isn't that great?
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. —William James
And now I come to the next part of my Sunday morning routine: finishing up the last touches on this post and sending it out into the universe. Reading the Sunday comics and checking the news before rising up out of bed and checking out the ambulatory vehicle I have to work with on this beautiful midsummer day. I am sending to you, my dear friends, my hopes and dreams for you to have a pain-free delightful day ahead. Until we meet again next week, I wish you all good things. Be well.
10 comments:
Oh pain free would be so good. One can always hope. I hope you have a delightful week. Dahlias and Zinnias show off this time of year!
I laughed when you mentioned "spring out of bed'... as I too have to check things over before attempting to get up. I wiggle my feet, stretch my legs and arch my body... everything 'cracks' but generally works. But still I tend to take it slowly.
And yes, time does seem to fly by... the summer is suddenly here, then gone (although it isn't my favorite time - August is the worst, so I'm glad it's going fast). I'm ready for Fall.
And we are watching some of the Olympic games. It amazes me what wonders the human body can perform with discipline and a lot of practice.
Hope you have a lovely Sunday, DJan!
We do live in wonderful times in so many ways. Like you, we assess ourselves in the morning, then embrace the day as long as we are able. Enjoy life. It is short and sweet in so many ways.
My days are never pain free for the last quarter of a century, but they are delightful. Counting my blessings today...and you are one. Have a wonderful Sunday! :)
You are most correct in your observations of how we perceive time. It goes so fast now, and in a certain way, it doesn’t seem that we have lived and longer than we had. Good observations about the variability in humans too. Most of us are not particularly gifted in stature or mental abilities, but we, somehow, get along in life. Have a good week,
Age and time do indeed have an interesting relationship.
As I type, the women marathoners are nearing the end of their ordeal, an ordeal they choose to endure. Remarkable. I have very much enjoyed watching the Olympic athletes go through their paces. Yesterday I was up early for me to watch the US Women win gold in their soccer game. This morning I caught just in time the awarding of the gold medals to the US Women's basketball team. The women track athletes are so sleek and beautiful. The women on my screen are lean and intense.
The weather is getting cooler, and with the end of the Olympics I feel like I will be getting my life back in order. I'll walk more, garden more, cook more, and hopefully eat less. It's the dog days of summer, time to slow down time.
DJan, Thanks for another uplifting Sunday morning Eye on the Edge. I had to call the Micro Manager in to take a look at the pic of Shaq and Simone. That absolutely made our day and we will be smiling for a long while. Thank you! Hope you have a great day and a happy week ahead. Best regards from your Seattle friend, John.
I am endlessly grateful to have found the blogosphere. And love your positive outlook. Thank you so much dear friend.
How surprising that our bodies wear out! I really thought I wouldn't. So far I am still in my right mind.
Well, I missed the Olympics. I saw a little of synchronized swimming while at the casino. Along with your theme, you wonder what will happen to some of these specialized bodies.
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